I think I am a great crew member. So I was thinking that all of us pro boat moochers should compile a list of things we do to keep the people that have boats happy so we can continue to leech boat usage from them. Here is some of the stuff I do:

Gas money with out question. I usually will pay for a full tank of gas every other trip out. I think thats pretty fair.

I will offer to tow the boat so my bud doesn't have to use his truck every time and waste double gas.

I am usually there from boat trailer hook up to boat trailer disconnect. I try to keep everything organized like boards in and out of the boat ropes wrapped up towels out of the way pretty much anything that will keep clutter to a minimum and less stress on the boat owner.

I never take the first pull of the day away from the boat owner. My bud is really cool and doesn't mind me having the first pull and I will go first but I would never demand to be first. I like getting invited back out on the boat!

I offer to drive the boat pretty much anytime I am not boarding. The drivers don't get much time to just sit and relax out on the lake so it is nice to let them take a break as often as they like.

I give a straight and true pull so that the owner can have the best set possible.

I am sure there is lots more so lets hear em people. Show some love for your boat owners!

Towel down the boat and do other detail cleaning as necessary as soon as the boat leaves the water.

Step into the boat avoiding stepping on the seat (remove shoes first too... "Behold thou art on holy ground"... "thou shalt not put holes and tears in thy neighbors boat cushions"... ive had this one happen to my dad and i and it is not kool, even if your boat isnt a master craft or malibu or...)

Bring own board and such if you got it

offer to bring snacks and other refreshments

Like a good Boy Scout, "BE PREPARED" whatever it takes to be prepared, do it. bring sunblock, towel(s) whatever.

Later (same day or another day) invite to watch some killer wake vids, everyone's got some that the other doesnt... and even if not, we all love watching 'em again and again.

I think most anybody would be happy to have very considerate boat mooches on the boat. It is also nice when people know how to take care of the rope, help other riders with putting boards into the racks after a set, and anything that minimizes down time between riders. I am going from boat owner to mooch this season and I am going to try to follow the above suggestions. I even bought a tower mirror mount for my buddies new boat as a "boat warming" gift.

Ron Lidsay it just so happens that I will be in Vegas June 4-14. I am trying to line up a day out on the water on one of my days off. It would be me and possibly a lady friend. Let me know if we can work something out.

Depoint50, I would love to have you around; this is great stuff for the boat owners. Its bad enough that we have to pay for everything on the boat and do the work as well, but it sure helps if we have other boaters like you added to the team. Makes for a great day and we don't mind that your out with us, if fact we appreciate you, and that your there. From a new Xstar owner, we all need each other in this sport; I am looking for a few to join us on the boat. If you know of any like you send them over.

So my buds/crew really constist of two guys. We all take turns on who gets gas, who pulls the boat with their trucks and we all do a wipe down. We are at the point where we take the sets we want and we rotate first set. Its really nice to have a crew like that. Also, they are (for the most part) great drivers. I trust them in what they do.

Good lists from the other side and one of the biggest things is ask sincerly. Ask if we need help or what you can do and MEAN to do it.

Dave, your too funny, I also am a "excellent driver" and would love to get behind the wheel of your new baby. I also forgot about the unwritten rule "NO SHOES". Your here to have fun and relax and how can you do that with shoes on? When we get back to the ramp I just start handing out towels and most people know what to do with them.

"NO SHOES" equals Good Service. Gas $$$ will play a big roll especially the hike in prices that are going on now. A soft drink beverage for me with a twisty cap(of course) is a plus. And a Blue chilled in the cooler on shore after the rides is always good.

Another idea: Bring a camera or video camera. Get some good footage or photo of the boat owner boarding. Make a copy and give it to him. Or if you get a real sick photo, get it enlarged, frame it and give it to him as a gift.

help clean up. pitch in some gas money. call if you can't make it. BE ON TIME! I have a pretty good crew who does all of the above and more. they are always friendly and respectful. being on time is the most important thing to me. I am getting out of bed at the a$$ crack of dawn to get the boat ready to go. all I ask, is you be on time.

Thomas, you hit it on the nail. for me I cant stress how this is the most important of them all.. theres nothing like waking up at the ass crack of dawn, get the boat ready, be all hyped up ready to go and your third is running late.. In the meantime your thinking "jesus! how many people are going to be at the lake when I get there" then you have to show up to a half filled lake hehheh

The camera is a great idea. I'm a photographer and almost always take my camera with me. It's fun to capture all the fun of being at the lake. Another thing, my buddy's boat is old and often breaks. I'm always there to help fix it whether it be a wheel bearing on the trailer or a broken throttle cable. Gas is huge too.

I also bring along the camera. Last summer we had a small EARLY morning crew that used one boat mainly. So this crew did a snowboarding trip together in January and put this little picture together for that boat owner. Frame - $15, Copies of the pics $3, Gas to get everyone to sign it - $10, seeing the boat owner open it and remember all the good times - Priceless.

I should clarify. The full tank every other trip out is what I did for my bud that bought his boat that took me out all the time. We would take it out 2-3 times a week. This was more geared to a steady crew.

I still pitch in my fair share of gas money when I am a third but I am rarely on a strangers boat, maybe once or twice a year. It is awesome to meet up with wakeworlders when I am on vacation in random places in the US. I have only done it once and it was a blast. I look forward to doing it in the future.

As soon as I am back in the US for good I am getting my own boat and I will pass on the Moocher savings to my friends!

I don't know if it is weird but I love to back the trailer for launching and pulling the boat out of the water. I am almost protective over it if someone else wants to. Plus I am good at it! Nothing frustrates me more than someone taking forever to back the boat in and they do it all cooked and wrong!

Gas $ is key, and it is always great to have someone who helps drive, manage boards, and the rope. But another key is being positive. Keep it fun and it will rub off on the boat owner and he will have more fun, and want to go with you more! I have a friend I love taking out on the boat just because his attitude is so refreshing. And I always like to have someone on the boat that is good at helping coach begginers, and that can also watch me and help me out with my problems.

One of the absolute biggest though is someone who pays attention and takes care of things that are needed on the boat. When a rider is done they're pulling in the line and getting the next person's board ready to go. They watch out for the idiots that sit on the line. They make sure the line is not under a board or other gear. They are up and ready to push against the dock when you're coming in. And you never have to ask them.

They're the people, like B-Rad B, that I happily let take my boat out without me.

BRING GAS. I live on the water and that means I have to lug four five gallon cans up to the truck, over to the gas station, fill them up, drive back and lug them back to the boat. Hassle. Plus it lets the person see how much gas cost. $5 won't cut it. A can cost about $14 and is good for two pulls. I let first timers slide, they are my guest. But if you want to ride please bring some gas.

Gas money or actual gasoline is nice but I don't even think I'd classify it as important. My boat doesn't run on thanks either but I don't really care. If I were so cash strapped that I couldn't afford to pay the gasoline bill then I'd have to consider either getting a lesser boat or finding a cheaper hobby. A good, competent crew is worth more than any gas money. If you can be on the lake when I can be on the lake, drive a boat decent enough to hold speed, and be helpful when help is needed, that's all I need to know.

be careful about excepting gas,beer or what ever for going out in boat. if you have an accident your insurance can say you were running a charter service and not pay on claim. heard about a case in florida were a guy told his buddy to bring the beer .his insurance denied his claim because they said he was running charter and he did not have the right coverage. if you have an accident and excepted gas or beer from your crew make sure they do not let the insurance company know about it

if you tell your crew that boat ride will cost them gas ,beer or cash it might be considered a charter by your insurance. don't know if this is always the case but thought it was something worth passing along.

If you post an ad on craigslist for $500 a day boating then they have a point, if it is your friend you need better insurance if they try and pull that crap. I've never heard of anyone losing an insurance claim when you split gas money on a trip to LA in a car.

I'd be curious how any Ins company would come to find out that someone gave gas money? Sounds a little out there to me. Maybe this is rumor started by good for nothing boat moochers to get out of paying up for there portion of the fun?

One thing a few people did for me was to man the camera and then send back some pics. This was a really nice touch. Videos or pics are great. Whether it is of people ridding or people in the boat. As the driver it seems like I rarely get pics otherwise.

My big thing is taking more than your fair share of the pulls! To many times we go out and we have to be off the water at a certain time so we each can only take so many pulls, but there is always one person that wants twice as many pulls as the rest of us! Just take the same amount of time in the water as everyone else!

I just like to have people that chip in and have fun. I hate it when people get invited out to the lake show up late, bring chips on my freaking boat and then leave as soon as we get to the dock. They seem confused as to why I don't invite them back out. It must be a mystery.